Suffolkz Posted December 17, 2016 Share Posted December 17, 2016 Hello everyone, My partner is a high school maths teacher, and loves teaching children, but absolutely hates the politics / marking / planning and everything outside of the classroom. The result is that she is usually very stressed and spends most evenings and weekends trying to catch up. The problem is, she doesn't know what she'd do if she changed job and isn't interested in becoming a head of department / head teacher. So, has anyone else had similar experiences or know of others in a similar situation? Plus, what have people gone on to do if they have changed career? Thanks, Suffolkz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fodder Posted December 17, 2016 Share Posted December 17, 2016 I have no experience however I do know a graduate who studied mathematics and he now has a job in business risk strategy which I think he'll do really well at. Data anylitics/business intelligence is really sought after at the minute and may be something that interests her. Good luck 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMballistic Posted December 17, 2016 Share Posted December 17, 2016 My fiancee used to be a "Training Supervisor & Exam Moderator" in a company which deals with training adults new computer skills, Sage pay and other skills. All classroom based stuff and literally no homework. What about her doing adult learning instead? Is that something she might be interested in? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffolkz Posted December 19, 2016 Author Share Posted December 19, 2016 Thanks guys, some interesting thoughts, I think there is probably a lot of areas she could go into, it's just finding out what they are! Both of yours are not paths we've looked at, so thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldel Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 What is it she really loves about her job? I think she needs to deconstruct it and then focus on what she needs out of any new role and what she can bring to it and go from there. Has she considered having a few sessions with a career coach? They are great at eeking out what it is you want and get you motivated and moving forwards with purpose. I moved into teaching for 6 months as a maths teacher, was in a well paid private sector job, went to a school for 6 months and moved back corporate (mainly because of financial reasons of our family at the time) side. I agree on the sentiments above around politics etc it really is bordering on farcical sometimes. It sounds like she has a passion for the actual job of teaching, is the content important though, does it have to be maths? Being an engaging 'trainer' is not an easy skill to master and there is plenty of scope in the private sector for people to deliver effective training. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willsy1980 Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 Perhaps a personal tutor, fully private 1 to 1 tuition ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aashenfox Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 (edited) If I couldn't make money in IT anymore, I'd go to teaching in a heartbeat, I'm sure its a nightmare, but fact is there is no nobler profession than trying to educate others. I do a lot of training at my job (training others how to use systems etc), and I enjoy it. Not sure what I'd do if I was a teacher in order to go to something else... Scientific research? Edited December 19, 2016 by Aashenfox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldel Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 I had the same motivation but found I spent much less time teaching children and a lot of time doing other stuff. As mentioned up top, all weekend preparing materials, marking, etc. I found little fun sitting indoors on a warm Saturday afternoon for 6 hours preparing lessons and missing out on time over the park with my new born son and wife. Additionally I am an excellent trainer in my job (have travelled the world running training events) but that in no way prepares you for being a trainer for a bunch of kids, its a whole new ball game and give them an inch and they will do their best to wreck your carefully planned lesson! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PPod Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 (edited) Has she thought about working abroad ? My sister just started working in Dubai as she was stressing out too much over being a high school teacher in Scotland same as your partner finding the after school stuff tough. So she got a job out there as a primary teacher and couldn't be happier its two year contract and her boyfriend goes out and visits often which suits him haha. She was telling me being a teaching out there is just a big holiday no after school markings or planning due to everyone helping each other not like u.k were nobody helps you really. There in high demand for UK teachers just now due to new schools opening up. Edited December 19, 2016 by PPod Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PPod Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 (edited) . Edited December 19, 2016 by PPod Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus27 Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 Hello everyone, My partner is a high school maths teacher, and loves teaching children, but absolutely hates the politics / marking / planning and everything outside of the classroom. The result is that she is usually very stressed and spends most evenings and weekends trying to catch up. The problem is, she doesn't know what she'd do if she changed job and isn't interested in becoming a head of department / head teacher. So, has anyone else had similar experiences or know of others in a similar situation? Plus, what have people gone on to do if they have changed career? Thanks, Suffolkz My wife is a teacher also and what you describe is exactly the same for her. She loves the teaching side but hates the politics, lack of support and is working every evening and weekend planning and marking. It is pretty crap as a profession. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetSet Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 Caroline is a careers advisor for Careers Wales and several of her colleagues have come from teaching. I don't know what teachers get paid these days but careers advisors are in the £30-32k bracket. It's a 9-5 Monday to Friday job without the pressure that teachers face these days. Of course, there are drawbacks, like having to deal with stroppy teenagers and their parents but at least you can come home an forget about the job . Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffolkz Posted December 19, 2016 Author Share Posted December 19, 2016 Thanks everyone, very interesting reading you thoughts. To answer a few of the questions - what she loves is being in the classroom, actually teaching, and doesn't know what else will give her that kind of reward. Getting paid loads isn't her driver. I guess that's the trade off though, a different job perhaps wouldn't be as interactive etc (although the career / training options would be close), but you would get to have your evenings and weekends all to yourself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strudul Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 Don't know anything about it, but what about private tutoring? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobPhoboS Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 Home tuition perhaps. I can't blame her regarding the politics inside the school itself and the BS from the gov. (well that's my interp) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TT350 Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 I'd love to be an English teacher in HighScool and see and encourage the talent in kids that take an interest in it. I think it'd make the difficult kids worth putting up with. Maybe even get those ones to take an interest too. Rewarding. But I know the amount of work that a teacher has to do outside of the classroom is intense. My ex's friend was a teacher in a primary school and she couldn't cope with the marking and lesson preparation even at that level. She's a secretary now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strudul Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 (edited) I always find it hard to understand the complaint from teachers about having no free time and spending their weekends marking and doing lesson prep. Maybe I went to a shite school, but lessons involved working through a text book and we peer marked our work in class... Edited December 19, 2016 by Strudul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldel Posted December 20, 2016 Share Posted December 20, 2016 And that is a very outdated and non engaging way of teaching. Pupils are much more engaged when they are not sat copying stuff out of a book. Marking often isn't right or wrong, it's also about method you have to grade not just put a tick or a cross. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docwra Posted December 20, 2016 Share Posted December 20, 2016 Thought about trying to get into a private position? Less kids, less planning, more money, more holiday, more classroom support, my missus loves her job and it clearly has less of the tedium and paperwork crap that goes with a state role these days. And you should see the Christmas presents from parents ........ Shes also private tutoring at £30+ per hour which there seems to be more and more call for, youve only got to do 20 hours per week and youre not far off normal teacher money. Hell, if shes good there are jobs going at Tashas school, Im sure we coud put a word in ....... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffolkz Posted December 21, 2016 Author Share Posted December 21, 2016 Thought about trying to get into a private position? Less kids, less planning, more money, more holiday, more classroom support, my missus loves her job and it clearly has less of the tedium and paperwork crap that goes with a state role these days. And you should see the Christmas presents from parents ........ Shes also private tutoring at £30+ per hour which there seems to be more and more call for, youve only got to do 20 hours per week and youre not far off normal teacher money. Hell, if shes good there are jobs going at Tashas school, Im sure we coud put a word in ....... docwra - we have friends who teach in private education and they say the same thing, I think it could be worth trying that avenue first before giving up on teaching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richf Posted December 21, 2016 Share Posted December 21, 2016 I always find it hard to understand the complaint from teachers about having no free time and spending their weekends marking and doing lesson prep. Maybe I went to a shite school, but lessons involved working through a text book and we peer marked our work in class... My son is in 6th form and has consistently peer marked his work throughout his school life so it still is very much in effect . Also as parents we no longer get written school reports , all we get is a list of numbers giving current and expected grades , no written feedback I appreciate more has to be done with lesson plans but for many teachers there is a level of repetition so its not like they have to start from scratch for each lesson Also our local secondary finishes early every other Monday to give the staff more preparation time , in fact teachers get more time during the school day to prep then they ever have I know they are held to account more than ever and thats how it should be and no different to the private sector. Teachers for the main are pretty well paid with lots of opportunity for advancement , of course it wont suit everyone and not everyone can deliver to the required standard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strudul Posted December 21, 2016 Share Posted December 21, 2016 My son is in 6th form and has consistently peer marked his work throughout his school life so it still is very much in effect . Also as parents we no longer get written school reports , all we get is a list of numbers giving current and expected grades , no written feedback. That's probably cos he's not far behind me in terms of age, so there hasn't been time for anything to change yet. We just got a list of 'E' (effort) grades and predicted grades for each subject, but there was still the occasional parents evening. The only peer-marking you do at university is assessing each others contribution in group assignments. (I'm 22 ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldel Posted December 21, 2016 Share Posted December 21, 2016 I kind of have to be a little direct in this, but really until you have been a teacher, its really one of those things that is so hard for those who haven't to understand or grasp whats involved. I remember as a student genuinely believing that teachers got the holidays we got and that they started and finished class when we did. Then as a teacher, especially a new teacher as I was, collating information for the syllabus, learning what needs to be taught for the year, spreading that across the terms, collating individual materials, tailoring them to myself and my style and then rehearsing the lesson a number of times. Doing this for all 20 lessons a week I had to give. Then of course as a qualified football coach I stepped in for the after school clubs that ran three times a week for different age groups. I was also involved in a couple of school trips out you are obliged to contribute time to setting up and then attending. I also was a teaching assistant for other teachers, so spare time was spent in their classes. I was also covering form classes for teachers where I had to prepare interesting stuff to entertain kids and engage them with learning...I haven't even mentioned the actual time spent teaching in class yet...seriously the list just goes on and on, until you have been there its really hard to grasp just how much time it takes. I was on just over £1k a month after tax deductions as a new teacher just for reference . Peer marking has its benefits but I know myself and many other teachers know its limits and it implications. In maths, especially in secondary school where I taught, method has to be marked, its not a case of shouting out the answer and its either right or wrong. Pupils cannot properly mark method. It had its uses in a minority of cases but generally I did 90% of marking. Personally I also think over use of peer marking is lazy teaching - effectively you are taking the learning element away from them i.e. you are not teaching them in the class time you have an instead doing your marking for you. But hey that's just a personal view and not a slight on anyone else who disagrees. Its a shame RTBiscuit isnt here, he has been a teacher for years and could really shed light on the life of a teacher much better than I could. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strudul Posted December 21, 2016 Share Posted December 21, 2016 (edited) Yeah, as I say, I'm not saying I'm correct, just that it appears to be that teachers have an easy life. Though I guess it heavily depends on how good a teacher you are and how much effort you put in. If you want to do tailored lessons, then yeh, I can see it being a massive chore. My experience on the other hand was working through text books and being taught the same stuff that's been taught for the past however many years unless there is a huge change to the syllabus. (Of course that is until Ofsted visits, at which point we get a customised lesson.) Peer marking usually took forever because of the problems you point out. We'd be given the answer, and then spend 10 minutes while every student asks whether or not the answer / method their peer wrote was correct. Edited December 21, 2016 by Strudul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldel Posted December 21, 2016 Share Posted December 21, 2016 When I joined the school I worked at, the head of maths said 'the worst teachers are the ones that leave 3:30 every day, they are also the ones most likely to fail their students' - its quite a harsh line to take, but there are elements of truth in it. I think back to some of my best classes I gave, the ones where the students engaged and those less capable stepped up a level, they were not the classes where I got them working from text books. I went to Ghana once for a month to teach maths to underprivileged children (classrooms were outdoors, concrete jobbies!), I was taking a maths class and could see the kids were bored (although appreciative) so I stopped and taught them some Japanese language (as I had lived in Japan for a while previous). Japanese is a very 'singy' type language and they loved it, they literally were singing along (even learning numbers is great, 1-2-3-4-5 is effectively itchy knee sun yon go which you can do actions to!). So after 20 mins or so back to maths and we learnt how to calculate angles by singing. They suddenly flew as learners, it was amazing. I guess in terms of what I learnt, is that anyone can do anything if they are engaged and supported. You just need to find that hook, not all kids perform when given text books to work from. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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